MP graduate Evans in U.S. national soccer training camp

Mountain Pointe graduate Brad Evans, left, played in the Valley
this week as part of the U.S. national team against Velenzuela.

Bob Levey

Mountain Pointe graduate Brad Evans, left, wouldn't have changed
a thing about his early year in soccer when he played for Tempe
Soccer Club and the Pride.

Bob Levey

MP graduate Brad Evans in U.S. national soccer training
camp.

AP

Brad Evans showed a sense of loyalty from the start.

When he was playing for Tempe Soccer Club it would have been
easy to switch to premier clubs like Sereno or Cisco, but he never
did.

After his freshman year at Mountain Pointe, his family moved
into the Desert Vista boundaries and he could have switched
schools, but he never did.

When the U.S. national soccer team needed some replacement
players earlier this month, you better believe he was ready to step
in.

"Anyone who plays the game at a high level always thinks about
representing their country," Evans said this week by phone. "You
never hesitate and you definitely get there as fast as you can. As
long as you are healthy you'll do anything you can out of loyalty
to your country."

Evans, a 26-year-old midfielder, was on the U.S. national team
on Saturday when it played an exhibition against Venezuela at
University of Phoenix Stadium

Evans was inserted into the lineup at the 88th minute in the
U.S.'s 1-0 win and knows all of the work he has put in since being
called up on Jan. 4 will pay off at some point. The team has held
training camp in Carson, Calif., and Scottsdale in preparation for
the match against Venezuela and Wednesday's friendly at Panama.

The national team has a new coach in Jürgen Klinsmann, who
replaced Bob Bradley, as it prepares for the World Cup qualifier in
June.

Evans said there has been a shift in approach that should help
the U.S. become successful in the months to come.

"We didn't touch a ball for three or four days," Evans said. "We
have a good base of conditioning with some weights mixed in. We
worked on our speed and technique for a good amount of time. With
Bob it was different. We had two intense training sessions (a day)
and I think they knew it led to injuries so they had 28 guys in
camp.

"Now we have about 20 guys in camp, including three goalies, so
17 guys on the field and (the new approach) has benefited us. We
are fresh and ready to go."

The roster for 2014 World Cup is far from being solidified so
anytime Evans can put on the U.S. jersey and perform in front of
the coaches who make such decisions it is vital he plays well in
order to secure a spot.

"The more you play in that jersey the more at ease you become
with it, but it is such a great honor every time," said Evans, who
made his U.S. debut in the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup as he earned
three caps. "I'm still relatively new, but I am striving to play
for my country as often and for long as possible."

When Evans, who was an All-American at UC Irvine, isn't playing
for his country, he plays for the MSL's Seattle Sounders. He
started his career on the Columbus Crew after being drafted 15th
overall in the 2007 draft and helped the Crew to the MLS title in
2008.

His career with the Sounders started the following year and he
has loved it ever since as Seattle goes wild for its soccer club.
The Sounders have averaged about 36,000 fans per home game at
CenturyLink Field the last couple of years and it is something he
and his teammates cherish.

"It's a perfect storm," he said. "They lost their NBA team, the
Mariners haven't been good and other than (the 2010) playoff run
the Seahawks haven't been great. Seattle has a huge youth soccer
program, there are four Division I soccer programs in the area and
we've been pretty good. It's amazing and we are very lucky."

While it doesn't compare with representing your country or
playing professionally, Evans received an honor in the fall when he
was included in the first enshrinement class of the Mountain Pointe
Hall of Fame.

The Sounders were in the playoffs at the time of the ceremony so
he couldn't come back for the event as his parents stood in for
him, but Evans hopes to return at some point and talk to the
students and thank those who felt he deserved the recognition.

"I would love to get back there and take the time to say a few
words," he said. "They've had some good soccer teams and the
athletics as a whole is doing well right now, but when somebody
from the outside can come back and offer words of advice based on
experience it can mean more.

"I was truly honored to get my jacket (given to all inductees)
and plaque. It was a once in a lifetime honor."

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